The presenters will outline key fundamentals, best practices and procedures, share helpful tips, and describe case examples of success stories— their own projects and others. The webinar will be aimed toward the full range of practitioners, trail advocates, and community leaders from novices to seasoned.

This session will be aimed toward the full range of practitioners, trail advocates and community leaders from novices to seasoned. The learning objective will be for Webinar participants grasp a well-organized resource-engagement framework that includes the key steps to take, partnerships to build, classes of resources to pursue, and leadership models and implementation strategies in moving from trail or greenway project from vision to reality.

With few exceptions finding resources to implement trail and greenway projects is difficult. Tightening of funding, especially at the federal level— but also in many states— has made this even more challenging. But, funding funds has ALWAYS been a challenge. It is not only funding the money, it is also putting in place sustainable, effective leadership at the grass roots to make projects happen.

The presenters are:

Mark Ackelson, president emeritus of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation

Marty Zeller with Conservation Partners

Bob Searns (moderator), emeritus chair of the American Trails Board and Owner of The Greenway Team.